"We do not have any intention right now to shoot at people," Nielsen said in an interview with Fox News. "They will be apprehended however."

ADVERTISEMENT

Nielsen added that she takes her officers' safety "extraordinarily seriously" and that they "of course" have the ability to defend themselves.

When asked if that meant that officers would shoot back if they were shot at, Nielsen replied, "no."

"We’d have to work through that. But I want to make clear we will absolutely not tolerate violence against Border Patrol in this situation," she said. "I will not tolerate Mexicans or anybody else acting in a violent way towards our men and women on the border."